A view from the protest site
Credit: X/@itsMarinaDai
Guwahati: A young anti-dam activist in Arunachal Pradesh is facing legal action for allegedly leading villagers to launch an "indefinite protest" against the Siang multi-purpose project in Siang district.
The activist, Ebo Milli, also a lawyer, on Monday said Deputy Commissioner of Siang district, PN Thungon lodged a complaint with Boleng police station alleging violation of prohibitory orders over the protest at Beging village, where a pre-feasibility study for the project is to be carried out.
In the letter, the DC said Milli led a "mob" of 80 to 90 persons under the banner Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum (SIFF), on May 22 and 23.
The members of SIFF launched a fresh agitation, this time "indefinite", saying that the big dam to be constructed on the Siang river would led to displacement and result in serious adverse impact on their livelihoods and ecology. The villagers burnt a hanging bridge to prevent central forces from reaching Beging during their protest on May 23. Central forces were deployed to prevent law and order situation during the pre-feasibility study.
Reacting to the complaint, Milli on Monday evening said the protest would continue.
The government says the multi-purpose project is aimed at checking possible threats from the 60,000MW dam being conducted by China in the upper reaches of the Siang, which is called Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet. CM Pema Khandu recently said the project has been proposed by the Centre to maintain natural flow of water in the Siang river throughout the year and flood modulation in case of water release by China.